Book of the week + Mathematics | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/series/bookoftheweek+science/mathematics
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Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos| Book reviewhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/apr/17/alex-bellos-adventures-numberland-maths
Joan Brady is delighted to discover that if you can throw a ball or read a map, you can do maths<p>"Ballet dancers are stupid." God knows how many times I heard that while I was in the ballet. When I gave up performing, I decided on a trial by fire and somehow got into Columbia University to study philosophy and maths.</p><p>Half a century ago, girls didn't do either subject, especially since back then philosophers were trying to reduce philosophy to maths. I was shocked: all the fundamental questions of life turned into equations? Ridiculous. It wasn't until years later that I realised I should have dumped philosophy, where there's little beyond long-winded uncertainty, and pressed harder at mathematics where answers abound.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/apr/17/alex-bellos-adventures-numberland-maths">Continue reading...</a>BooksCultureMathematicsFri, 16 Apr 2010 23:08:53 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/apr/17/alex-bellos-adventures-numberland-mathsPhotograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesInstant calculation . . . Anne Keothavong of Great Britain, Wimbledon, 2006. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesInstant calculation . . . Anne Keothavong of Great Britain, Wimbledon, 2006. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesJoan Brady2010-04-16T23:08:53Z